Electric railway.



No. 723,592. PATEN-TED MAR. 24, 1903. H EDWARDS ELECTRIC RAILWAY.-

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16, 1902.

K0 MODEL.

PATENTBD MAR. 24, 1903.

IL EDWARDS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1902.

2 BEETS-SHEET z.

X0 MODEL UNITED STATES "'FFICE.

ATENT ELECTRIC R-AILWAY.

srscrrrcemon forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,592, dated March 24,1903.

Application filed June 16,l902-.

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HAROLD EDWARDS, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improved Electric Railway, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a diagram of part ofan electric railway, showing one form of my invention which is adaptedfor use where trolleys pass along the trolley-rail in one directiononly. Fig. 2 is a similar diagram, but includes also other features ofmy invention. Fig. 3 is a diagram of part of an electric railway,showing another form of my invention adapted for use where trolleys passalong the trolley-rail in both directions. Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3, but showing also another feature of my invention, which ishereinafter described.

My invention relates to that class of electric railways in which thetrolley-rail or con-- duct'or is made up of sections which are in--sulated from each other and which comprise also means whereby a trolleyor shoe passing.

along the trolley-rail from one section .to another automaticallyconnectsthe section upon which it is entering with the source ofelectrical power and automatically disconnects asection \vhichithasleftorisleaving from the source of electrical power, so that only thatsection of the trolley-rail which the trolley or shoe is on is alive;

The objects of my invention are to simplify and improve the constructionof electric railways ot' the class above described, to provide anelectric railway of this class adapted to be operated automatically bytrolleys passing in Serial No. 111,882. (No model.)

magnet arranged in a circuit which is controlled by a normally closedswitch. Means are provided to cause a trolley upon entering a section toautomatically close the operatingcircuit of the normally open switch ofthat section, and thereby close that switch and connect that sectionwith the source of electrical energy, and to automatically open thenormally closed switch of a section to the rear, .and thereby break oropen the circuit of the magnet of the normally open switch of that rearsection, and thus open said switch, which disconnects said rear sectionfrom the source of electrical energy.

Other features of my invent-ion are hereinafter pointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a main feed-wire, which isconnected with one pole of the source of electrical energy, and B thereturn, which is connected with the other pole of the source ofelectrical energy. 7

C C 0 C 850., represent the sections which make up the trolley-rail.Each section of the trolley-rail is connected by a wire 0 with oneelectrode 0 of a switch D, the other electrode a of which is connectedby wire 0 with the main feed-wire A. Switches D are normally open; butwhen closed current flows from feedwire A through these connections totheir respective trolley-rail sections and from the sections through thetrolley to the motor of the car and thence to ground through one of therails on which the car rides.

The bridge-piece of each switch D is carried by an armature-lever d,which is operated in one direction by means of an electrowhich isconnected by a wire 6 with the return orground B.

The bridge-piece of each switch F is carried by an armature-leverf,which is moved in one direction by means of an electromagnet G and inthe opposite direction by gravity or by a spring. Coils g of magnet Gare each connected at one end with return B by ICO a wire .g' and at theother end by wire g with a short supplemental section of trolley-railg*, which is herein shown as forming part of the next adjacent mainsection of the trolley-rail, but electrically insulated from theadjacent parts of that section. The short supplemental section of rail gis preferably at a distance from the nearest end of the main section ofrail of which it forms part greater than the length of the longest caror train of cars operating upon the system. It is customary in somesystems to provide each car with two shoes or trolleys, one at each endof the car, which are electrically connected together and with the motorof the car. When cars so constructed are used, the short supplementalsection g is made shorter in length than the distance between the twoshoes of a car, so that both shoes will not be on the short section g atthe same time, the reason for which will hereinafter appear.

It will now be clear that a pair of electrically-connected shoes ortrolleys of a car in traveling from right to left, Fig. l, and leavingsection 0' will, when one shoe reaches and contacts with section 0 andthe other is still on section 0, cause a current to flow from the shoeon section 0 through the usual connection between the two shoes to theother shoe on section C From the shoe on section 0 current will thenflow through section 0 to wire e, through the coil of magnet E, throughe, switch F, and wire 6 to return B. Thus the magnet E is energized andcloses switch D. Section 0 is then connected with wire A through wires 0and c and switch D, which causes magnet E to continue to hold switch Dclosed even after both trolleys or shoes have left section-O and passedon to section (3 for then current is supplied to magnet E from section(J which is then alive. After both shoes or trolleys have passed uponsection 0? the forward shoe of the pair passes on to supplementalsection g of section 0 and current is thereby caused to flow from therear shoe, which is on main section (3 to the forward shoe onsupplemental section 9 through wire g coil g of magnet G of section C,and wire g to eturn B. This causes magnet G of section 0 to open switchF and break the circuit through magnet E of section C, which freesarmature-lever d and allows the latter to move by gravity or otherwise,so as to carry and hold the bridge-piece away from and out of contactwith electrodes 0' and 0 In this manner it will now be clear a trolleyor a pair of connected trolleys upon entering a section automaticallycloses the normally open switch of the section ahead, thereby connectingthat section with the source of electrical energy, and alsoautomatically opens the normally closed switch of the section to therear, thereby breaking the circuitof the magnet E ofsaidrearsection,opening switch D, and disconnecting said rear section fromthe source of electrical energy.

In Fig. l of the drawings wires 6 and 9 are shown as connecting with acommon return-conductor B, which may be a wire or the ground; butin Fig.2 each wire 6 is connected with a return-conductor B, which may be theground, and all of the wires g are connected with a-common return wireor conductor B, in which is arranged a switch H, which may be located inthe train-despatchers ofrice at the end of the road or division of theroad or at any desired and suitable point between the last wire g andground or the pole of the electrical source with which the wire B isconnected. When switch H is closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the operation ofthe system is the same as above described in connection with Fig. 1; butsometimes it is desired to prevent a trolley or pair of trolleys inpassing along the trolley-rail from one section to the next ahead fromopening switch F of the sections, and thereby disconnecting the sectionsto the rear of the trolley from wire A. For this purpose I have providedswitch H. Whenswitch H is open, the contact of the forward end of atrolley or of the forward shoe of a pair of trolleys with each shortsection will not act to open switches F, for the reason that thecircuits of which coils g form part are broken at H. Under theseconditions that is, with switch I-I openthe passage of a trolley or pairof trolleys over the system acts to connect each section with wire A andto leave each section so connected, so that following trolleys do notoperate any of the switches, all of the latter being left closed by thefirst trolley; but when switch II is closed the first trolley or pair oftrolleys to pass along the trolley-rail restores the system to itsnormal condition, as already described. It will also be clear that ifthe trolley or pair of trolleys of a car have entered upon section C anda second 'car is following thefirst too closely as soon as the firstshoe of the first car contacts with supplemental section 9 switch F ofsection 0, on which the trolley of the second car is traveling, willbe'opened, thus opening switch D of section 0 and cutting off the powerfrom section 0. To again throw in the section thus rendered dead, itwill only be necessary to make a momentary connection by means of apiece of wire or other metal between the conductor and the main feeder,which in systems such as the ordinary third-rail system is usuallyimmediately under or near the conductor, or the switch-D may be turnedby hand where such method is not impracticable by reason of the lengthof the sections and the consequent possible distance of the switches.

In Fig. 2, X is intended to represent the location of a station orstopping place for cars or trains travelingover the road, and a featureof my invention consists in providing means to prevent a car or trainwhich is approaching a station-such, for example, as station X-frompassing an intervening section of the trolley-rail while another car ortrain is at the station. To secure this result,

a short supplemental and insulated section g is herein shown as insertedin the main section 0 of the trolley-rail, so situated with relation tothe station X that when a car or: train is stopped at the station oneshoe of a pair of trolleys on the car will rest on sec.- tion g and theother on section 0 Section g is connected by a wire g with wire g? ofsection C, so that while a car is at station X current flows fromsection 0 through the trolleys of the car to section 9 through wire gand to and through the coils g of magnet G, and through wire g toconductor B or to ground. So long as supplemental section g is connectedwith ground through magnet G of section 0' and current flows throughsaid connection a following train entering section C will loseits supplyof power and be stopped, since that section" cannot be connected withfeed-wire A so long as the energized magnet G holds open switch F in thecircuit of magnet E.

By the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2only trolleys traveling in onedirection that is, from right to left will automatically disconnect thesection to their rear from feed wire A as they travel along thetrolley-rail; but in Fig. 3,1 have shown an arrangement whereby atrolley entering a section from either end from right to left or left toright in said figure will automatically disconnect a section to its rearfrom the wireA as it travels along-the trolley-rail.

As shown in Fig. 3, each trolley-rail section C C O, 850., is inaddition provided with a short insulated supplemental section g locatednear the end of such section of trolleyrail opposite to that in whichthe short supplemental section g is located, and while each supplementalsection g is connected with the coil of magnet G of the section oftrolley-rail which is at one end of that section of trolleyrail in whichsupplemental section 9 is located each section 9 is connected by a wire9 with a second coil 9 on the magnet G ofthat section which is at theother end of the section of trolley-rail in which supplemental section gand g are located. For example,

with a second coil g wound upon magnet G to wire g, which connects withreturn B.'

This energizes magnet G of section 0 and opens switch F, which causesswitch D to be i opened and section 0 to be disconnected from wire A.

main section of the trolley-rail from right to left first contacts withshort supplemental section 9 which acts to disconnect the next sectionto the rear of the trolley from wire A, and when near the other end ofthe main section of trolley-rail it contacts with short supplementalsection g, which acts to momentarily breakthe operating-circuit ofswitchD of the next section ahead. If there be another trolley or pair ofshoes on that section ahead which are approaching from the oppositedirection, that section will be disconnected from wire A and the car ofthe trolley on that section cut off from its power and stopped. The samedescription of operation applies to a trolley passing over a mainsection of the trolley first contacts with short sectiong and next withshort section g as will be clear Without further description.

While a certain degree of protection is atas described above, yet it ispossible with the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 for the trolleys of twotrains or cars approaching a given section, as 0 to pass the shortsection g of section 0 and g of section 0 at the same time, so thatneither car or train will be stopped, and both will be free to pass uponsection 0 where they would be liable to meet in collision. Also it willbe seen thatit is possible with the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2for a train which for any reason was stopped in the middle of section 0for example, to be overtaken by a following train with a rear-endcollision as the result. To prevent such events and to afford perfectprotection against collision, each armaturelever F may be provided withtwo arms, as shown in Fig. 4:, one of which is controlled byelectromagnet G and the other of which is controlled by an electron]agnet J, on which are two coilsj and j. Each of the main sections of thetrolley-rail O C 0 is connected by a wirej with one end .of the coilj ofthe magnet J of a distant section. For example, section 0 is connectedby wire 3' with the coilj of the section to the right of section 0, (notshown,) section 0 is connected by wire J with the coilj of section 0,and section 0* is connected by wire j with the coil j of section 0 Whena trolley is in section 0 that sectionis alive and current flowstherefrom through wire j to and through the coil j of magnet J ofsection 0 and through wirej to return B. It will therefore be clear thatso long as section 0 is alive magnet J of section 0 is energized andswitch F of section 0 held open, so that a following car or train ofcars cannot close switch D of section 0 to connect that section withwire A. Where trolleys travel over the trolley-rail in one directiononly, of course these Wires j connect each section with the coil j ofthe second sec- A trolley or pair of shoes passing over a trolley-railfrom left to right, except that such.

forded by the construction and arrangement tion to the rear 3: but incases where the trolrail, as in Fig. 3, each section is connected alsoby a wirej with the coilj of the second section in the oppositedirection. For example, section 0 is connected by wire with one end ofcoil j of section C and the other end of coilj is connected with wirejMy improved electric railway is not only useful in railway systems wherethe trolleys travel over the trolley-rail in one direction only, butalso in systems where the trolleys travel in both directions over thetrolley-rail.

What I claim is-- 1. In an electric railway, in combination, a

main feed-wire; a return-conductor; a trolleyrail having a number ofinsulated sections; a normally broken connection between each sectionand the main feed-wire; a normally open switch for controlling each ofsaid connections; a circuit for operating each of the normally openswitches; a normally closed switch in each of said operating-circuits;and means to cause a trolley upon entering a sec-. tion to automaticallyclose the operating-cir cuit of the open switch of said section andthereby close said switch, and means to antomatically open the normallyclosed switch of a section to the rear and thereby open the normallyopen switch of said rear section.

2. In a single-track electric railway, in combination, a main feed-wire;a return-conductor; a trolley-rail having a number of insulatedsections; a normally broken connection between each section and the mainfeed-wire; a normally open switch for controlling each of saidconnections; a circuit for operating each of the normally open switches;a normally closed switch in each of said operating-circuits; and meansto cause a trolley upon enteringa section from either of its ends toautomatically close the operating-circuit of the open switch of saidsection, and thereby close said switch; and means to cause said trolleyto also automatically open the normally closed switch of a section tothe rear and thereby open the normally open switch of said rear section.

3. In an electric railway, in combination, a main feed-wire areturn-conductor; atrolleyrail having a number of insulated sections; anormally broken connection between each section and the main feed-wire;a normally open switch for controlling each of said con nections; acircuit for operating each of the normally open switches; a normallyclosed switch in each of said operating-circuits;

means to cause a trolley upon entering a section to automatically closethe operatingcircuit of the open switch of that-section and therebyclose said switch; and means to cause said trolley to also automaticallyopen the normally closed switch of a section to the rear and therebyopenthe normally open switch of said rear section and automatic means toprevent a second approaching trolley from closing the normally openswitch of an intervening section between the two trolleys while thesection which the first trolley is on is connected with themain'feed-wire.

4c. In an electric railway, in combination, a main feed-wire; areturn-conductor 3 a trolleyrail havinganumberofinsulatedsectionseachprovided with an insulated supplemental section; a normally brokenconnection between each main section and the'main feed-wire; a normallyopen switch for controlling each of said connections; an electromagnetfor operating each of said switches; a connection between each sectionand its respective magnet and between each magnet and the return; anormally closed switch in each of said connections; an electromagnet foroperating each of said normally closed switches; and a connectionbetween the supplemental section of each main section and theoperating-magnet of the normally closed switch of another main section,andbetween each of said last-mentioned magnets and said return.

5. In an electric railway, in combination, a main feed-wire; areturn-conductor; atrolley rail having a number of insulated sections,each provided with an insulated supplemental section; a normally brokenconnection between each main section and the main feedwire; a normallyopen switch for controlling each of said connections; an electromagnetfor operating each of said switches; a connection between each sectionand its respective magnet and between each magnet and the return; anormally closed switch in each of the latter connections; anelectromagnet for operating each of said normally closed switches; areturn-wire; connections between the supplemental section of each mainsection and the operating-magnet of the normally closed switch ofanother main section, and between each of said magnets and thereturn-wire; and a switch in said return-wire.

HAROLD ED WARDS.

\Vitnesses:

R. B. HUTCHESON, RUBY M. BANFIELD.

